On A September Afternoon
by NimJ
Summary: A little girl is sitting on the sidewalk, all alone and crying. Will somebody help her? Will it change her life?


**This is my first story, so please be kind!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter, my OC is mine off course.**

On a cloudy day in September, people were rushing from work to home. The mundane scene was made slightly different by one thing though.

A little girl of about five years old was sitting on the edge of the sidewalk, huddled close together, clutching her leg and crying. All the people rushing by either didn't notice or didn't care, well almost all the people…

A man kneeling next to the little girl asked "Hey little girl, what's wrong?"

She looked up shyly through her tears, he was a slight man with black hair sticking up at funny corners and green framed by glasses. They were nice eyes she decided.

"My leg hurts" she said quietly, still sniffling. The man considered her, brow forming into a frown, but didn't say anything.

He was having a silent debate with himself. He really had expected her to be upset about not finding her parents. So, he ventured another question.

"Are your parents close by?"

She looked at him again, tear tracks clear on her face, looking if possible even more miserable then before, but she didn't answer.

Deciding that she wasn't going to answer him anytime soon, the man looked around his eyes falling on a bench nearby.

"Let's get you up of the chilly ground, okay? I bet the bench is more comfortable." She nodded but made no move to get up, just clutching her leg tighter. "Shall I pick you up? I'll be very careful." She nodded again.

He picked her up and carried her to the bench, sitting down himself and putting her legs in his lap to examine them better. While taking off her shoe and rolling up her pants, the man said "How silly of me, I didn't even tell you my name. My name is Harry. What is your name?"

The little girl gave him a small smile "I'm Christie, Christie Bellnam-Nott."

A look passed over Harry's face that she couldn't decipher. But quickly it disappeared again.

Harry on his part had just realised who she was, the daughter of Theo Nott and Amy Bellnam. Hogwarts most unlikely couple. Of all the things to happen! Quickly he schooled his face.

"Well Christie you are lucky, I'm an expert in mending hurt legs. My two sons sprain their ankles all the time!" he carefully felt her ankle, got out his wand and murmured a spell "It's only a sprain" he told her, casting another spell. Her ankle instantly felt much better "See, doesn't that feel better?"

"Thank you!" she said, giving him a big smile.

Smiling back he told her "You're very welcome."

Sitting her beside him, he got a stern look on his face but his tone was gentle when he asked "Christie, where are your parents? Why aren't they here?"

He didn't like parents who left their kids.

New tears appeared in Christie's eyes, she mumbled "They are gone! Father died in the war. Mommy was feeling bad and then she went away," then added even quieter "she's been gone very long." she started crying again.

Harry held her close, comforting her "Oh Christie, I'm so sorry". He held her until the crying was just hiccups. He gave her a tissue, telling her to blow her nose, when she looked at him again he wiped away a stray tear with his thumb.

"You know, I knew your parents when I was in Hogwarts. Your dad was in Slytherin, and he believed very much in what that stood for. But then he met your mom, a pretty, witty Ravenclaw and he didn't care that they weren't in the same house."

Her eyes lit up, she loved hearing about her parents! "Really! You knew them? Even mommy? And dad loved mommy that much? Really?"

Laughing, Harry answered her "Really and truly. Your mom was in my year, she liked Charms the best I think, she was very good at it at least!"

"Oooh, I love Charms, mommy showed me loads before she…" Christie trailed of, looking downcast again.

Harry stroked her hair in sympathy with a gentle look. Well, as good an opportunity now as any, he though to himself.

"Christie, who is supposed to look after you now?" she glanced up at him, a guilty look on her face telling him what he already knew. She had run away.

"Auntie Hilda" she answered. When Harry fixed her with a stern gaze she quickly continued with a "But, she's mean!"

Harry manfully suppressed a grin at that childish outburst and managed an stern tone when he told her "Even if that was really true, it's not a reason to run away Christie. She'll be worried. You love her don't you?"

Worried? Christie hadn't wanted to make her worried, she was her auntie after all. Still, she pouted when she answered "Yeah, but I don't want to stay with her! It's just me and her, no fun at all."

When Harry didn't answer immediately and idea suddenly came to her. Harry was nice, and he had said he had two sons, so that would be fun "Can't I stay with you Harry?"

Shocked, Harry didn't know exactly what to say "You want to… what? That can't…Wow, ehm…" then he forcefully pulled his thoughts together. "Christie, you don't even know me! I don't know your family. It's a little more complicated then you think honey."

He paused. "Would you really leave your Auntie Hilda like that?"

Christie's face fell for a moment, making Harry believe his point had come across, but then it lit up again.

"Course not! She could come visit, and I would go see her all the time!" she said practically bouncing with enthusiasm "Pleeeease Harry, pleeeease."

Sighing, realising that nothing would get the idea out of her head he conceded "Well, how about this. I'll take you to my house so that we can let your aunt know where you went off to and I'll speak with her okay?"

She flew around his neck. "Yay, thank you thank you thank you Harry!"

And that is how Christie Bellnam-Nott eventually came to be a part of the Potters household.

**So, what did you think? Cute? Horrible? Constructive critisism is very welcome!  
Also, did you like Christie, should I write about her more?**


End file.
